789
- Abu Dawud narrated to us, he said: Abu 'Awanah narrated to us, from al-A'mash, from al-Minhal ibn 'Amr, from Zadhan, from al-Bara' ibn 'Azib. Abu Dawud said: And 'Amr ibn Thabit narrated it to us, having heard it from al-Minhal ibn 'Amr, from Zadhan, from al-Bara' ibn 'Azib, and the hadith of Abu 'Awanah is the more complete of the two.
Al-Bara' said: "We went out with the Messenger of Allah (saw) for the funeral of a man from the Ansar. We reached the grave when the niche (lahd) had not yet been dug. The Messenger of Allah (saw) sat down, and we sat around him as if birds were on our heads—'Amr ibn Thabit said: 'perched,' while Abu 'Awanah did not say it—and he began raising his gaze, looking toward the sky, and lowering his gaze, looking toward the earth. Then he said: 'I seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave,' saying it several times. Then he said: 'When the believing servant is facing the Hereafter and departing from this world, an angel comes and sits at his head and says: "Come out, O tranquil soul, to forgiveness from Allah and His pleasure." So his soul comes out and flows as a drop flows from a water-skin.' 'Amr said in his narration, which Abu 'Awanah did not say: 'Even if you see otherwise.' 'And angels descend from Paradise with white faces as if their faces were the sun, with them are shrouds from the shrouds of Paradise and embalming scents (hanut) from its scents. They sit from him as far as the eye can see. When the angel takes it, they do not leave it in his hand for the blink of an eye. That is His saying, Mighty and Majestic: {Our messengers take him, and they do not fail in their duty}. He said: 'So his soul comes out like the finest fragrance ever found. The angels ascend with it, and they do not pass by any host between the heaven and the earth except that they say: "What is this spirit?" It is said: "So-and-so"—by the best of his names—until they reach the gate of the lowest heaven, and it is opened for him. Those brought near (muqarrabun) from every heaven accompany it until it reaches the seventh heaven. Then He says: "Write his record in 'Illiyyun {And what can make you know what is 'Illiyyun
(174)A register inscribed
(175)Witnessed by those brought near}." So his record is written in 'Illiyyun. Then it is said: "Return him to the earth, for I have promised them that from it I created them, into it I return them, and from it I will bring them forth once again." So he is returned to the earth and his soul is returned to his body. Two angels, severe in reprimanding, come to him, reprimand him, and make him sit up. They say: "Who is your Lord? And what is your religion?" He says: "My Lord is Allah and my religion is Islam." They say: "What do you say about this man who was sent among you?" He says: "He is the Messenger of Allah." They say: "And how do you know?" He says: "He came to us with clear proofs from our Lord, so I believed in him and affirmed him." He said: 'And that is His saying, Mighty and Majestic: {Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter}.' He said: 'And a caller calls out from heaven: "My servant has spoken the truth, so clothe him from Paradise, furnish for him from it, and show him his place in it." So he is clothed from Paradise, furnished from it, and shown his place in it. His grave is widened for him as far as his eye can see, and his deeds are personified for him in the form of a man with a handsome face, pleasant fragrance, and fine clothes. He says: "Rejoice in what Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has prepared for you; rejoice in the pleasure of Allah and gardens containing lasting bliss." He says: "May Allah give you glad tidings of good; who are you? For your face is the face (^1) that brings good." He says: "This is your day which you were promised and the matter which you were promised. I am your righteous deeds. By Allah, I only knew you to be quick in obedience to Allah and slow in disobedience to Allah, so may Allah reward you with good." He says: "O Lord, establish the Hour so that I may return to my family and my wealth."
He said: 'But if he was a wicked person, when he is facing the Hereafter and departing from this world, an angel comes and sits at his head and says: "Come out, O wicked soul; rejoice in the displeasure (^2) of Allah and His anger." Then angels with black faces descend with them hair-cloth (musuh). When the angel takes it, they stand and do not leave it in his hand for the blink of an eye.' He said: 'It sinks into his body, and he extracts it, tearing with it the veins and nerves like a large multi-pronged skewer (suffud) through wet wool. It is taken from the angel and comes out like the foulest stench ever found. They do not pass by any host between the heaven and the earth except that they say: "What is this wicked spirit?" They say: "This is so-and-so"—by the worst of his names—until they reach the lowest heaven, but it is not opened for him.' Then He says: 'Return him to the earth, for I have promised them that from it I created them, into it I return them, and from it I will bring them forth once again.' He said: 'So he is thrown from the heaven.' He said: 'Then he recited this verse: {And he who associates others with Allah—it is as though he had fallen from the sky} the verse. He said: 'And he is returned to the earth, and his soul is returned to him. Two angels, severe in reprimanding, come to him, reprimand him, and make him sit up. They say: "Who is your Lord? And what is your religion?" He says: "I do not know." They say: "What do you say about this man who was sent among you?" He does not find his way to his name, so he says: "I do not know, I heard the people saying that." He said: 'So it is said: "You did not know." Then his grave is tightened upon him until his ribs interlace. His deeds are personified for him in the form of a man with an ugly face, foul stench, and ugly clothes. He says: "Rejoice in punishment from Allah and His displeasure." He says: "Who are you? For your face is the face that brings evil." He says: "I am your wicked deeds. By Allah, I only knew you to be slow in obedience to Allah and quick in disobedience to Allah."'
'Amr said in his narration from al-Minhal from Zadhan from al-Bara' from the Prophet (saw): 'Then a blind and mute angel is appointed over him, having a sledgehammer which, if a mountain were struck with it
(176) it would become dust—or he said: crumbled—and he strikes him with it a blow that all creation hears except for the two heavy ones (humans and jinn). Then the soul is returned to him and he strikes him another blow.'